ChrisRichards
02-06-2010, 11:26 AM
The torture chamber knowns as the Los Angeles Lakers inflicted more pain on the Blazers Friday night.
The place is the Rose Garden. The city is Portland. The team is the Lakers. The Lakers have come to this city, to this arena, to play this team nine consecutive times now seeking a victory and every time the Lakers have been defeated by Portland and sent home wondering. The Lakers came back to Portland on Feb. 6 with hopes of finally breaking the streak and the Lakers made sure the streak ended tonight.
All five Blazers starters scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with a career high 52 points, he shot 20/28 in the field and 3/5 beyond the arc. He also added 5 boards and dished out 9 assists.
Pau Gasol also chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Bynum handled the defensive duties quite well for Los Angeles who held the Blazers big men Lamarcus Aldridge and Juwan Howard to a staggering 20% fg shooting inside the paint.
"I was frustrated, I could'nt do much against Bynum and Pau, they just entered every orifice of our offensive game and assaulted us" according to Aldridge. Juwan Howard added " that kid Bynum shure do reminds me of a younger Mutombo, he was just a fierce defender, nothing you can do about such talent"
Andre Miller led the Trail Blazers with 26 points on nine-for-14 shooting, but Derek Fisher counter acted and put on a clinic out there shooting a blazing 5/5 from the three point line. "Fisher was a tough cover for me, He's a 4 time NBA champion, only thing you can do really is hope he misses those contested jumeprs" said Miller. The Blazers had pulled to within three points of Portland in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers were just too much for the hurting Blazers.
At the start of the fourth quarter Blazers Coach Nate McMillan leaped off the bench after Sasha Vujacic scored three consecutive jumpers on Steve Blake and called a timeout. "That was infuriating, i told my guys, If that euro kid is hitting jumpers like that, then I dont wan't to be associated with this team"
Sasha was seen mouting off to Brandon Roy who was in street clothers tonight. He was also blowing kisses to Maria Sharapova who was present in the Garden tonight. That's how serious the Lakers were about trying to win tonight in Portland.
The Lakers came out strong in the third quarter, moving the basketball, moving bodies, looking for other players besides Kobe Bryant.
After Lamar Odom threw a lob pass to Andrew Bynum for a dunk, the Lakers had pulled to within 69-61 lead halfway through the third quarter.
That forced the Trail Blazers to call a timeout but they never recovered.
The Lakers had outscored Portland, 20-9, in the first 6:01 of the third.
Ron Artest had eight points during that stretch. Including a fine defensive job on Nic Batum. "Ron was pretty tough out there, he was tellin me all these crazy stories about people getting stabbed in the chest while playing basketball during his younger days, he completely took me off my rhythm lol" according to Batum.
The Lakers, who have lost their last eight games in Portland, finally solved the Blazers at the Garden thanks to a magnificent night from Kobe Bryant who despite of his sprained ankle, broken fingers, back spasms, pulled hammy and a flu like symptom has put on quite a show for the Blazers fans. " I love playing here in this Arena, the excitement builds up, I told my teammates that its all about execution and giving us cushion" " Our defense was great tonight, Im old school so I liked how we executed there too."
Andre Miller, who got into a shouting match with Portland Coach Nate McMillan at practice, started and scored eight points and handed out four assists in the first.
Pregame
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson stood in the hallway, his back against the wall, a smile on his face.
Jackson knew the question was coming.
"Kobe made the difference tonight, this is the first time I told my guys to ditch the triangle and pass the ball to Kobe and get the hell out of his way, I said to myself, what's the use of running the triangle when you have a warrior and old school player like Kobe" Jackson said. Asked about the Blazers? "Some of it is just the energy between these two teams. It's just accumulated. Its a rivalry thats for sure, It would be amazing to see how this team performs with Oden" A female reported asked about the recent news behind Oden's nude photo circulating the net, Jackson's response "Well, I saw it and I would say this. That thing is fatter and looks much more masculine than Pau Gasols arm"
Adam Morrison was asked if he was going to attend the All Star Weekend, clearly irked and offended "Are you serious?" Morrison Said. Luke Walton was not available for any comment.
The Lakers are up for another challenge against the heavy favorites in the Western Conference the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
The place is the Rose Garden. The city is Portland. The team is the Lakers. The Lakers have come to this city, to this arena, to play this team nine consecutive times now seeking a victory and every time the Lakers have been defeated by Portland and sent home wondering. The Lakers came back to Portland on Feb. 6 with hopes of finally breaking the streak and the Lakers made sure the streak ended tonight.
All five Blazers starters scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with a career high 52 points, he shot 20/28 in the field and 3/5 beyond the arc. He also added 5 boards and dished out 9 assists.
Pau Gasol also chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Bynum handled the defensive duties quite well for Los Angeles who held the Blazers big men Lamarcus Aldridge and Juwan Howard to a staggering 20% fg shooting inside the paint.
"I was frustrated, I could'nt do much against Bynum and Pau, they just entered every orifice of our offensive game and assaulted us" according to Aldridge. Juwan Howard added " that kid Bynum shure do reminds me of a younger Mutombo, he was just a fierce defender, nothing you can do about such talent"
Andre Miller led the Trail Blazers with 26 points on nine-for-14 shooting, but Derek Fisher counter acted and put on a clinic out there shooting a blazing 5/5 from the three point line. "Fisher was a tough cover for me, He's a 4 time NBA champion, only thing you can do really is hope he misses those contested jumeprs" said Miller. The Blazers had pulled to within three points of Portland in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers were just too much for the hurting Blazers.
At the start of the fourth quarter Blazers Coach Nate McMillan leaped off the bench after Sasha Vujacic scored three consecutive jumpers on Steve Blake and called a timeout. "That was infuriating, i told my guys, If that euro kid is hitting jumpers like that, then I dont wan't to be associated with this team"
Sasha was seen mouting off to Brandon Roy who was in street clothers tonight. He was also blowing kisses to Maria Sharapova who was present in the Garden tonight. That's how serious the Lakers were about trying to win tonight in Portland.
The Lakers came out strong in the third quarter, moving the basketball, moving bodies, looking for other players besides Kobe Bryant.
After Lamar Odom threw a lob pass to Andrew Bynum for a dunk, the Lakers had pulled to within 69-61 lead halfway through the third quarter.
That forced the Trail Blazers to call a timeout but they never recovered.
The Lakers had outscored Portland, 20-9, in the first 6:01 of the third.
Ron Artest had eight points during that stretch. Including a fine defensive job on Nic Batum. "Ron was pretty tough out there, he was tellin me all these crazy stories about people getting stabbed in the chest while playing basketball during his younger days, he completely took me off my rhythm lol" according to Batum.
The Lakers, who have lost their last eight games in Portland, finally solved the Blazers at the Garden thanks to a magnificent night from Kobe Bryant who despite of his sprained ankle, broken fingers, back spasms, pulled hammy and a flu like symptom has put on quite a show for the Blazers fans. " I love playing here in this Arena, the excitement builds up, I told my teammates that its all about execution and giving us cushion" " Our defense was great tonight, Im old school so I liked how we executed there too."
Andre Miller, who got into a shouting match with Portland Coach Nate McMillan at practice, started and scored eight points and handed out four assists in the first.
Pregame
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson stood in the hallway, his back against the wall, a smile on his face.
Jackson knew the question was coming.
"Kobe made the difference tonight, this is the first time I told my guys to ditch the triangle and pass the ball to Kobe and get the hell out of his way, I said to myself, what's the use of running the triangle when you have a warrior and old school player like Kobe" Jackson said. Asked about the Blazers? "Some of it is just the energy between these two teams. It's just accumulated. Its a rivalry thats for sure, It would be amazing to see how this team performs with Oden" A female reported asked about the recent news behind Oden's nude photo circulating the net, Jackson's response "Well, I saw it and I would say this. That thing is fatter and looks much more masculine than Pau Gasols arm"
Adam Morrison was asked if he was going to attend the All Star Weekend, clearly irked and offended "Are you serious?" Morrison Said. Luke Walton was not available for any comment.
The Lakers are up for another challenge against the heavy favorites in the Western Conference the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.